General News

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23741, 12 September 1942, Page 4

General News

Awards to Scouts New Zealand boy scouts are proud of the war record of their members. At the annual conference in Wellington yesterday the following incomplete list of decorations received by former New Zealand boy scouts was announced: —Victoria Cross 2, Distinguished Service Order 1, Military Cross 2, Distinguished Flying Cross ana Bar 1, Distinguished Flying Cross 7, I Military Medal 1, Distinguished Flying Medal 1. Manpower In Furniture Industry That a Manpower Utilisation Council should be established for the furniture manufacturing industry was one of the decisions of a preliminary conference called by the National Service Department to discuss the allocation among furniture trades of military contracts and to discuss the relationship of placing the contracts to manpower in the industry. This is reported by the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation in a letter received by the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association. The council, it has been decided, should comprise four representatives of the manufacturers and four of the union—one from each centre. The association has been asked to send a nomination which is acceptable also to the Employers’ Association. Next E.P.S. Trial The next E.P.S. trial will be held in about a fortnight or three weeks. The chairman of the organising committee (Mr W. Machin) said yesterday that his committee, in addition to surveying Thursday’s trial, was already engaged in preparations for the next. Need For Corn Sacks The urgent need of the Mataura Paper Mills for waste corn sacks and rope was emphasised at a meeting In Oamaru of the committee for reclamation of waste materials. The chairman (Mr A. Wilson) said he had been advised by the Mataura Mills that the need for corn sacks and rope was even more pressing than that for waste paper. The committee decided to ask farmers and others to send in sacks that were beyond repair. Nelson School Centenary Nelson school children yesterday attended a function to commemorate the centenary of the opening of the first public school in Nelson. The Minister of Education (the Hon. H. G. R. Mason) traced the history of education in Nelson from May, 1842, to the establishment of the colonial system in 1877. Referring to the country schools, the Minister said that it was interesting to recall that the mother of Lord Rutherford was the first teacher at Spring Grove. He paid a warm tribute to Mr Matthew Campbell, who was the moving spirit in the formation of the Nelson School Society, whose system formed the foundation for the system later introduced throughout the Dominion.—(P.A.). Price of Fish Believing that she had been overcharged, a Christchurch housewife yesterday returned to a fishmonger and asked the price of a pound of fillets of terakihi. “One shilling and eightpence,” he replied. His original charge was correct. Terakihi in fillets was lOd a pound last year. Gurnet, which has sold for as low as 6d a pound In Christchurch,, and formerly ranged from 7d to 9d a pound, was being sold yesterday, in fillets, for Is 6d a pound. Fewer fishing vessels and poor catches were the causes given by the retailer for the increased prices. Otira Tunnel Freight For the second week in succession traffic by rail through the Otira tunnel from Westland to Canterbury showed a sharp rise as compared with corresponding periods of previous years. For the week ended September 5, 17,432. tons were handled compared with 15,321 in the same week of 1941 and 10,721 tons in the corresponding period of 1940. Front-gate Mity Delivery “If some such scheme as front-gate delivery is not instituted there may come a time when the public will not have milk delivered at all, but will have to collect it at shops or depots,” said the chairman of the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council (Mr I. J. Goldstine) in a statement after a meeting of the council. “I felt," he added, "that front-gate delivery was preferable to that.” Mr Goldstine pointed out that front-gate delivery of milk will start In Auckland on Tuesday next, when it will be necessary for each customer to place some receptacle within six feet of his street entrance.—(P.A.) Snow at Arthur’s Foss The snow which was reported at Arthur’s Pass on Thursday morning continued throughout the day and night and was still falling heavily yesterday, when four or five inches lay on the gound. It was falling steadily at Otira also, and at both places appeared to have set in. Tongan Airman Honoured Queen Salote of Tonga has conferred the hereditary title of Vaea upon her nephew, Aircraftsman George Albert Tubou, to mark the attainment of his majority. This is the second highest rank in the order of Tongan nobility, the most distinguished title being that of Maafu. Aircraftsman Tubou came to New Zealand five years ago to continue his education at Wesley College, Paerata, where he became head prefect and was senior athletics champion. Some time ago he entered the Royal New Zealand Air Force and he is now in the preliminary stages of his training for a pilot,—(P.A.)